


Earth X3B2 - The Flash

by hank412



Series: Earth X3B2 [1]
Category: DCU (Comics), The Flash (Comics)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-11-12
Updated: 2014-11-12
Packaged: 2018-02-25 02:15:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,199
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2604884
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hank412/pseuds/hank412
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Earth X3B2 is my take on the DC Universe. Comic Versions of the Story Lines I write here may later appear on Deviantart, but the bulk of the character Stories stay here. Cover: http://hank412.deviantart.com/art/Earth-X3B2-The-Flash-Link-in-Description-495770074</p>
            </blockquote>





	Earth X3B2 - The Flash

This is part of my Canon of the DC Universe, which takes inspiration from the CW show, animated works, the movies, and, of course, the comics.

-Allen Household-  
Nora Allen: (Kneeling, bandaging up her son’s arm) The Problem with Running so fast, is that you’re bound to miss something.  
Barry: What’s that supposed to mean?  
Nora Allen: It’s a philosophical term, Barry. It can mean a number of things. In this case though, it means to just watch where you’re going.  
Barry: No mom, I told you, something pushed me down the stairs. I didn’t trip.  
Nora Allen: Regardless, Barry, you still need to be careful. (The door opens)  
Henry Allen: Honey! I’m home! (He strolls in and notices Barry’s bandaged arm) What happened?  
Nora Allen: Barry took a nasty fall down the stairs.  
Henry Allen: You okay slugger?  
Barry: Yeah, dad. (Henry Allen holds his son’s hand in his)  
Henry Allen: Don’t worry, you’re a tough kid, the pain will be gone before you know. Gone in a flash.

-Night-  
(Barry awakes to the sound of thunder. He hears his mother scream. Barry runs down the stairs, his father follows after him. Barry makes it to the bottom of the stairs when he sees the lights flashing from the living room. He runs toward it)   
Henry Allen: Barry! Wait! (Barry continues to run, He makes it into the living room and sees his mother, surrounding her are streaks of lightning.)   
Nora Allen: Run Barry! Go! Now!  
Barry: Mom! (the lightning begins to close in on his mother. His father puts his hand on his shoulder)  
Henry Allen: Get behind me, Barry!   
Nora Allen: Henry! Barry! I love you! (lightning is only inches from her face. Barry’s eyes fill up with tears)   
Distorted Voice: You are destined for greatness, Barry Allen!  
(Suddenly, the lightning stops and the room goes dark. Barry drops to his knees, tears dripping down his face.)  
Barry: Mom...

-14 Years Later-  
-Police Station-  
Cop: If it was me reviewing these things, you wouldn’t have made the cut, Allen. I didn’t think Jonathon would let you in either, but I guess he’s had a change of heart.  
Barry Allen: So, I got the job?  
Cop: Yep, Welcome to the Central City Police Department.  
(Barry walks into the forensics lab, his new place of work)  
Off Panel Voice: Is it how you thought it would be? (Barry turns around and sees the source of the voice. Detective Joe West, the man who raised him after his mother’s murder)  
Barry: It’s a little underwhelming. (looking around the room once again) Thanks for offering me the job, even if the application process was a bit slow.  
Joe: Don’t thank me, thank Kanigher for dying.  
Barry: I don’t really have to thank him for dying, do I?  
Joe: No, Barry. It was quite a shame actually. The man took just one bad turn and flipped his car. Got lots of internal damage from that. Kanigher was a good man.  
Barry: I’m really sorry.  
Joe: The man was kind, but very organized. Put a chart on the shelf to keep the chemicals in a specific order. Just a small thing out of respect, maybe you could follow that chart and keep those chemicals in the order he had them. Just a little idea.  
Barry: I’ll do my best to follow it.  
Joe: As a gift or test run, we brought Kanigher’s car in. Impress me and show me what you can find.  
Barry: Yes sir!  
-A garage like area, totaled car sits in the middle-  
(Barry looks over the wrecked car. Taking few snapshots and samples. Fingerprints, shards of glass, blood.)  
Cop: That boy sure does take his time.   
Joe: It’s a practice run, he can take as much time as he wants.  
Cop: He better not be that slow out in the field. The boy’s going to lose his job if he does.

-Days Later-  
Joe: (entering the forensics lab) Barry, you done with that practice run yet?  
Barry: Well… the thing is, Joe… it isn’t quite done yet…  
Joe: (disbelief) Isn’t done yet? You had yesterday and all of today to work on it.  
Barry: I know, I’m working on it, trust me.  
Joe: Look, Barry (folding his arms) I offered you this job because of how much you’ve said you wanted to be a forensic scientist, but don’t treat it like it’s an internship, because it’s not, it’s really serious business. You’re a smart kid, I know that, but if you aren’t faster in the field, I am going to have to fire you and I don’t want to do that. Understand?  
Barry: Understood, I’ll have it done by tomorrow morning. Promise.  
Joe: It better be, Barry. Don’t make me do something I don’t want to do. (Barry nods as Joe leaves the room.)   
(Barry turned to a dusty board in the corner of the room. A map of Central City lay on top of it, covering it. Barry walked towards it and removed the map, allowing him to see what he had previously hidden. Newspaper clippings and the red string. All connected to a newspaper page. “Nora Allen killed by Husband.”  
Barry: I know you didn’t kill her dad and I’ll prove it.  
-The Next Day-  
Joe: (folding his arms) What do you mean it might not have been an accident?  
Barry: Look where some of the glass ended up. Some ended up inside the car, based on where it landed. (walks over to passenger side of the wrecked car) The window had broken before the car had even flipped.  
Joe: Barry, listen…  
Barry: I’m not done yet! After examining the steering wheel, I found something interesting with the fingerprints, Joe. The wheel was pulled from Kanigher’s hands!  
Joe: Barry…  
Barry: I don’t think it even was a suicide, I think it was a murder. Someone smashed through Kanigher’s car window and flipped his car.  
Joe: Barry! We have surveillance footage, your conclusion is impossible. Kanigher was the only person on the street and his car was moving. So what you’re telling me is that someone moved along-side the car, smashed through the window, and flipped the car, all while being unseen?  
Barry: (head down, hands in pockets) Sort of…  
Joe: Barry, if you were anyone else, you probably would’ve been fired, but you’re not. You stayed true to your promise and I’ll give you credit for that, but I don’t want something this ridiculous showing up in my files. You need to be serious for this job. None of the Swamp Things or Men in lightning!  
Barry: Joe…  
Joe: You hear me?  
Barry: Yes sir, but Joe, if you would just take a look at-  
Joe: Not another word.  
-Later that Night-  
Iris: My father seemed more irritated than ever.  
Barry: Did he now? (Barry doesn’t look up once from the metal on the table. Iris West looks over the work Barry had been doing) I seem to remember Joe for getting angry at me just about everything when we were kids.  
Iris: Usually because you’d be talking about the lightning man. But, I guess some things never change.  
Barry: (still not looking up) I guess not.  
Iris: You know, I could’ve left two hours ago, when the sky was still clear, but no. I decided to stay here. The least you could do, is acknowledge my sacrifice.  
Barry: Sacrifice? You have a car, the rain wouldn’t bother you anyway.  
Iris: (exploring the forensics lab) I’m not talking about the rain. I’m talking about the fact that we’re going to end up sitting in traffic instead of sitting at home.  
Barry: You’re right, that is quite a hard sacrifice to make. How will you ever be able to go on? (Barry looks up and sees Iris poking at the board in the corner) No, wait! Don’t touch tha- (The map is removed)  
Iris: Your mother’s murder… (turning her head to look at Barry, who has his head down) Is… Is that why you wanted this job?   
Barry: (not looking up) Please Iris… don’t tell Joe. This is important to me. (He walks over to the board and placed the map back on it.) This is something I just have to do.   
(silence)   
Iris: I… I won’t tell him anything, but… just hurry up so we can go home.   
(Barry walks back over to the table. The storm outside the building seems to be picking up.)  
Barry: Right, almost forgot (walks over to the shelf where the collection of forensic chemicals sat) I need… (he runs his finger along the shelf) this…  
Iris: What is it?   
Barry: (walking back to the chart and back to the chemicals) It should be right here, why isn’t it… (looking up) No, this shouldn’t be here.  
Iris: What are you losing your mind over this time?  
Barry: Okay, so there’s this chart that the last guy, um, Kanigher had on the shelf. You see, the chemicals were organized in a specific order and well, they’re not now.  
Iris: So, you’re upset because your science juice is out of order?  
Barry: Iris, I literally got this job two days ago, I don’t want things to already start falling apar-  
(The windows shattered as a single bolt of lightning passed through, striking Barry where he stands. Everything seemed to slow for Barry, the shattered glass from the windows suspended in midair. He sees the look of horror frozen on Iris’s face. He slams against the shelf behind him, the chemicals covering his body. His drenched and seemingly lifeless body then hits the ground.)

-The Next Day, Central City Hospital-  
(Joe West Family waiting outside of Hospital door, door opens)  
Joe: How’s Barry?  
Doctor: See for yourself.  
(They walk in, bump into Barry who’s on his way out.)  
Joe: Barry, what are you doing?  
Doctor: He’s making a big mistake, that’s what he’s doing. Please lie back down Mr. Allen, you’ve been exposed to several volatile and reactive chemicals, you’ve suffered abrasions, head trauma-  
Barry: So in other words, a couple of bruises and a headache. Not really enough to keep me into a bed. And you ran the tests too, right? Nothing, right?  
Doctor: That’s correct, but I still recommend that you stay here for a few more days at least until we know you’re completely fine.  
Joe: The Doctor’s not wrong, taking a few days to recover isn’t a bad idea.  
Barry: I’m fine, really. I feel fine, I appreciate everything the thought and everything you’ve done, but really, I feel fine, so thank you for everything. (leaves)  
Doctor: Some kid you got.

-Police Forensics lab-  
(Barry walks in, looking over the damage caused by the bolt.)  
Barry: Geez…  
Joe: (by door) You sure scared the hell out us, Barry.  
Barry: Yeah, getting struck by lightning, what was I thinking? (Pause) Wait, Iris was here when the lightning hit, is she okay?  
Joe: She’s fine. You scared her the most.   
Barry: I think I’d be pretty scared to if I saw lightning smash through a win-  
Joe: She watched you die, Barry.  
Barry: What?  
Joe: She sat next to your hospital bed, watched your heart stop almost every minute. It was tough to watch.  
Barry: Does Iris know I’m out of the hospital?  
Joe: No, not yet, figured you’d want to surprise her.  
Barry: Well, in that case- (phone rings, he answers) Hello. Doctor Lawence… What? I thought you got the results… what kind of problems… are you sure…. No, I didn’t authorize that. No, I’m not going to make an appointment, I’m sorry, but it’s out of the question. (Hangs up)   
Joe: What is it?  
Barry: Nothing…  
Joe: Barry, Doctors don’t call you over nothing. Tell me what it is.  
Barry: They got more results in from my tests. Putting it simply, they said I might have serious damage on a cellular level.   
Joe: That doesn’t sound good.   
Barry: Doctor didn’t know to make of it, so he sent the results to a specialist.  
Joe: Did you get a name?  
Barry: Yeah, I got a name. Listen, Iris is at work, right?  
Joe: Yeah, she’s… don’t change the subject! What was the name?  
Barry: (on his way out.) Palmer! A Dr. Ray Palmer!

-Central City News Building-  
(Iris sits at her desk, moping, she looks up and sees Barry walk in, she runs up to hug him)  
Iris: Barry! You’re… you’re awake.   
Barry: Yes, I am.  
Iris: Are you alright? Your heart stopped beating, I thought you died.  
Barry: (puts her hand on his chest) Still beating.  
-Outside-  
Iris: You sure you should be up and walking around this soon?  
Barry: You’re starting to sound like everyone else.  
Iris: They’re just worried about you Barry.  
Barry: I know… (he stops)  
Iris: You okay?  
Barry: I feel like I’ve just been denying it, but… I could’ve died last night. There aren’t that many others who know what that feels like. (walks toward her) It sort of makes you look at life a bit differently… (he looks up, behind her, there’s a police car about to smash into them. He grabs her and moves her out of the way, the police car smashes into the ground and another car drives by them, Barry runs after it.)  
Iris: Barry, what are you doing?!  
Barry: Getting the license plate! I’m part of the force, remember? (he runs after it, pulling out his phone and trying to take a picture of the license plate, suddenly he smashes through the back windshield of the car and finds himself in the passenger seat. The thug driving is startled and reaches for his gun, Barry grabs for it and the struggle flips the car over. The car smashes into the ground and slides a bit. Barry crawls through the broken windshield, coughing, he looks back and sees the unconscious thug, Barry turns and pulls the thug out. He looks around then flees the scene before more people get there. The thug awakens with more people at the scene. He gets up and also flees. Police later arrive on the scene.)  
Joe: The city just loves flipping cars, doesn’t it?  
Officer: No one saw the crash, but a lot of the people here saw the driver.  
Joe: We got a sketch? (Officer hands him sketch.) Christ, it’s Snart.  
Officer: Snart? Lenard Snart is back in town?  
Joe: Contact the head immediately, Snart’s trouble and we got to catch him fast, before he skips town again. Back and tag everything and get it to Allen, I want Snart found.  
Officer: You really want me to hand this to Allen? You yourself said the kid might not have his head screwed on all the way.  
Joe: Whether or not he has his head screwed on, I’ve known him long enough to know he’ll get the job done, regardless if he’s slow. He’ll get the job done and he’ll get it done right.  
-Central City University-  
(Dr. Ray Palmer looks over a small glass under a microscope. He uses pretty oversized goggles to observe it. An assistant stands near him.)  
Palmer: Start Writing. Subject has passed the three minute mark, a mark where previous subjects have experienced combustion. Current subject seems to show no sign of- (glass begins to glow.) –and it doesn’t even let me finish the sentence, get back! (they hide behind a desk as the glass explodes.) Well, maybe just go ahead and just write failure all over that sheet. (He walks toward the table covered in scorch marks, taking off his goggles.) Same thing just keeps on happening. (Knock on door). I didn’t have any meetings today, right?  
Assistant: There wasn’t anything scheduled. (Knocking again, this time several and at a rapid rate. Palmer answers the door)  
Palmer: Can I help you?  
Barry: Yeah, are you Dr. Ray Palmer?  
Palmer: I am, can I help you?  
Barry: I’m Barry Allen…(Palmer seems lost) …you ran some tests on me after I was struck by lightning.  
Palmer: Barry Allen… oh, yes, Barry Allen! You have some… interesting cells, would you like to come inside?  
Barry: If it’s not too much trouble, there’s something I need to talk to you about. (Palmer lets him in, Barry sees the scorched desk) Like what happened here?  
Palmer: Just sciencey stuff. Now, what kind of things did you want to talk about?  
Barry: Well, I sort of… ran… through a windshield of a moving car… (Palmer is confused.) Like, actually ran through it, like, really fast, Like, “not possible” fast. You probably think I’m just talking crazy.  
Palmer: Is it possible, you can show me what you’re talking about?  
Barry: I- I think so.  
Palmer: Well, follow me so we can find out. (Palmer brings him into a room, a treadmill stands in the middle, surrounded by several monitors.) Just step on and just… well, try to redefine what’s not possible. (Barry gets on the treadmill and starts running.) Nothing really out of the ordinary here, I think maybe you just- (Streaks of lightning begin to form off of his body.) What in the- (Barry’s limbs start to become a blur, sparks fly off the treadmill as it breaks down, Barry suddenly stops. He looks at Palmer.) Well, that’s… something…  
Barry: One… more question… You hungry?

-Pizza Place-  
Barry: You know, I really should be wondering how I was able to go that fast, but right now, I really just want to know how I managed to eat all this pizza.  
Palmer: Could just be a side effect.  
Barry: Of what?  
Palmer: Well, we usually need to eat to give our bodies the energy we need. So, naturally, running at the speed you did exhausted all your energy so now, you need a refill.  
Barry: Gotcha.  
Palmer: So, you just managed to outrun a treadmill.  
Barry: Yeah… sorry about that.  
Palmer: It’s fine. Probably was never going to use that thing again anyway.  
Barry: So, you have any idea what’s going on with me?  
Palmer: Not really. Saying that you’ve developed the ability to run at faster speeds would be an understatement, there’s much more going on with you. If it isn’t a problem, I’d like to run more tests, at least until we know what’s going on.  
Barry: I’m fine with that.  
Palmer: Well then, I think we should head back to the lab.  
Barry: Hold on, could we get a few more pizzas to go?

-Warehouse-  
(There is a board with a collection of photos, each of them are of the car crash earlier)  
Rory: Snart, there’s no way that could’ve happened. You’re just seeing things. The cops had never gotten that close to you before and the stress got to you. Case closed.  
Snart: (Looking at an image before the crash, there is a blur near the car). That’s… not what happened. No. A man, a simple flash appeared in the car. I saw him, felt him. He was real and he’s still out there.  
Rory: What the hell do you think this man could possibly be? (Snart is silent) Now, I don’t want to work with a partner who’s seeing things, so until you pull your s#*@ together, I’m out. (He leaves)  
Snart: (still looking at the photo.) What are you? (The lights go out.) Mick? (silence. Suddenly, streaks of red lightning surrounds him, the streaks then vanish, the lights go back on. In front of Snart is a stack of blueprints. He walks over and unrolls them, they are blueprints for weapons. There is a note on the blueprint. It reads: “To Secure Your Future.”

-Palmer’s Lab-  
Palmer (Via recording) : It’s been two months since Barry Allen came to me with his problem. What we first believed to be abnormal speed is turning out to be something even greater. Barry’s cells have appeared to be, for lack of a better word, “supercharged” (Barry is running on treadmill, lightning is emitting off him, he yells “Faster!”) as he has demonstrated on MULTIPLE occasions (Barry trips and is sent flying against a wall) that his body now possesses the ability to quickly heal itself. Barry has begun to rely on his extraordinary abilities to accomplish everyday tasks. Truth told, he is a bit of a show off. (Barry on treadmill again, he yells “I bet I can do this backwards!” he starts running backwards, trips, is sent flying against a wall again.) but, I would be lying if I said he wasn’t starting to grow on me.   
(Barry is running on the treadmill, he’s in the zone, his clothes start to smoke, he realizes his clothes are on fire and tries to put out the flames, causing him to trip again and be sent against the wall.)  
Barry: Ray… it happened again… How many does this make it?  
Palmer: This would be the fifty-second pair of clothes you have burned through.  
Barry: Why don’t we…(Panting) go for a hundred?  
Palmer: (helping Barry up) It’s a record I rather not break, and that’s why I have something for you. (He leads Barry into a dark room) You see, around the thirty-fifth time your clothes burst into flames, I decided to come up with a remedy, so I came up with this. (He turns on lights, a suit stands before Barry.)  
Barry: A unitard?  
Palmer: It’s made from a reinforced tri-polymer, highly heat and abrasion resistant. So as long as you remember to wear this, you won’t find yourself, for lack of a better word, “streaking.”   
Barry: Did you just make a joke?  
Palmer: More of a pun, really. Go on, try it on.  
(Barry becomes a blur as the suit disappears from its display, Barry stops vibrating as he is now wearing the suit.)  
Barry: Doesn’t really give you much room to breathe, does it?  
Palmer: You’ll get used to it, but in the meantime, I haven’t really been able to test it, would you mind- (Barry runs out.) –testing it out for me. (Barry comes back in, unseen, and grabs an ear piece.)  
(Barry runs around Central City, Huge smile on his face.)  
Palmer (via earpiece): You know we do have a treadmill.  
Barry: Yeah, but what would be the fun in that?  
Palmer: How’s the suit holding up?  
Barry: It’s holding up just fine! Now if we could just find something to deal with my eating habits, I think we’ll be in business!  
Palmer: Well, I am working on something along those lines.  
Barry: Hope I can try it out soon. I’m getting hungry just thinking about it!   
Palmer: (Slight smile) How’s the view?   
Barry: (Barry looks around) Ray, I wish you could see this!  
Palmer: How does it feel?  
Barry: How does it feel? It feels great! (He runs off into the distance) WOO-HOO!!!

 

-Warehouse-  
(Snart is hunched over at a table, blueprints rolled out. Snart is building a weapon of some sort. He finishes and hold up the weapon. He clicks a button and it seems to activate. He aims the weapon at a hanging light and fires. The light becomes heavily coated in frost and falls to the ground. He fires it at a table, which also becomes covered in frost. He walks over and kicks the table, causing it to shatter. He looks down at the weapon and smiles.)

-University-  
Barry: (holding some sort of protein bar in his hands, his mouth is full) So, this thing is the equivalent of eating fifteen pizzas?  
Palmer: Correct.  
Barry: Just wish it also tasted like pizza. (He has shoved the whole bar in his mouth.)  
Palmer: So, you feel anything, nausea, stomach pains, severe itching?  
Barry: All at once or individually?  
Palmer: All at once.  
Barry: No. Were those the possible side effects?  
Palmer: Possible? Yes.  
Barry: Well, that makes me feel a whole better.  
Palmer: We’re not out of the woods just yet, we got to see if it will still hold up after all the running you do, on the treadmill. (Barry runs out.) And… I’m alone again.  
Barry: (Barry runs around Central City, huge smile on his face.) WOOHOO!

-Central City Bank (outside)-  
(Lenard Snart walks on the opposite side of the street, he doesn’t notice the cops at a nearby café.)  
Cop 1: Well, the guy bolted and then-  
Cop 2: (stops him) Hold on. That guy over there, he look like Lenard Snart to you?  
Cop 1: (gets up and looks) It’s either him or a really good look alike. Figured the guy would’ve skipped town.  
Cop 2: I’ll make sure. (Cop walks out of café as Snart crosses the street) Snart!  
(Snart turns and pulls out the weapon he had built, a cold gun, he blasts at the street, causing a car to flip over. The street goes into a panic. The other cop pulls out his gun as the first cop tries to get up. The cops start firing, causing Snart to fire his weapon again, which causes an incoming cop car to flip over, it is about to hit a civilian. Barry passes by and sees the whole scene. He sees the civilian about to be crushed by the car. He runs toward them and pulls them out of the way, he is only a blur to them.)  
Barry (Over intercom): Ray! There’s something going on down here! I need to help!  
Palmer: Barry, wait! If someone sees you-  
Barry: I’ll… I’ll vibrate my face so they can’t tell who I am. I have to help, Ray, I’m part of the police, remember? (Vibrates face and runs in.)  
(Snart fires his cold gun, the beam is about to hit one of the cops, Barry runs in and moves the cop out of the way. Snart sees the blur)  
Snart: Well well well! So the blur is real!  
(Barry appears in front of Snart)  
Barry: Put the weapon down and put your hands in the air!  
Snart: What are you, a cop?  
Barry: Um… No…  
(Snart fires several beams and Barry runs around him, evading every beam that comes his way. Barry runs behind him and grabs the bottom of Snart’s coat and brings it over his head, Barry then pushes him over.)  
Snart: You think you’re funny?! (Fires again)  
(Barry sidesteps the beam, however, he then notices it’s going to end up hitting one of the cops instead. Barry runs to try to get the cop out of the way. He is too late and the cop is hit.)  
Barry: NO! (he runs to the body and kneels, the cop is dead.)  
(Snart looks down at his cold gun, then runs. Barry remains kneeling at the body.)  
-Two Days later-  
-Police Station/ Forensics lab-  
(Barry is sitting at his desk, depressed. His phone rings, it’s Palmer, he answers.)  
Barry: Hello?  
Palmer: Barry? Are you feeling okay? You didn’t come in today or yesterday.  
Barry: I’m fine, it’s just…  
Palmer: What is it?  
Barry: All I wanted to do was help… instead someone died. I thought I could do good, thought I didn’t have to be a bystander anymore… but I let someone die… (tears in eyes) just like how I let my mother die…  
Palmer: Barry…  
(Barry hangs up and looks down at his desk)  
Mysterious Voice: Baarrrryy….  
(Barry looks up. Outside on the building across the street, there he is, the man in the yellow suit. He rushes away, Barry follows after him, they stop in an ally way)  
Barry: You… You did it, didn’t you? You murdered my mother…  
Man: Perhaps, but what are you going to do about it? (runs, Barry chases him throughout the city. Eventually, they come to a cemetery, Barry seems to have lost him, the man appears behind him) Not fast enough, Barry. (tsk tsk movement with finger, runs, Barry follows. Barry throws punches at the man, but the man dodges them and throws his own punches, toppling Barry over. When Barry looks around, he sees that they’re in a cemetery. The Man stands over Barry.) You’re going to have to do better than that, Barry. (Barry runs at him, the man evades all the attacks and counters with his own, once again sending Barry toppling.)  
Barry: Who are you?!  
Man: You know who I am. The one you let get away.  
Barry: Shut up! (Barry goes at him again, the man appears from behind and brings Barry down to the ground.)  
Man: I have gone by many names, but you can call me… Zoom. (The Man then vanishes, leaving Barry in the cemetery.)

-Iron Heights-  
Henry: Been a while since I’ve seen you here. Whatcha been doing, slugger?  
Barry: Nothing, really… it’s just…  
Henry: Barry, what is it?  
Barry: I really screwed up today… Dad… I found him… the man who killed mom, I found him. I had him… had him right in front of me and I… (starting to cry) I couldn’t catch him…  
Henry: Barry, listen…  
Barry: And now I have to look at you, knowing that I could have gotten you out… and tell you that I failed you…  
Henry: Barry, listen to me…  
Barry: I just… I’m so sorry, Dad…  
Henry: Barry, I know you are, but you can’t blame yourself for everything.  
Barry: No, Dad, you don’t understand…  
Henry: Maybe not, but if I know one thing, it’s that we all make mistakes, we all do, trust me, but mistakes are in your past. Use your mistakes to learn what path you want to take, but don’t let them choose your path for you. You’ve spent so much of your life letting your past control your future. You’ve spent so much of your life running… but the problem with running so fast… (Barry looks up)… is that you’re bound to miss something…  
Barry: …I swear to you, Dad… I will get you out of here. I promise you.  
Henry: Barry: I just said-  
Barry: This is the path I’m choosing… You haven’t given up on me yet… So I’m not going to give up on you… The man who killed mom… he’s still out there… and now I’m the only one who can find him…

-Warehouse-  
(Snart now has a larger collection of photographs of the flash)  
Snart: Know you’re out there, now. Still out there. There’s no use trying to hide anymore. (He grabs some blueprints from the table behind him) Ready or not… Here I come. (smiles)

-Police Forensics Lab-  
(Barry places more notes on the board he had put together on his mother’s case. He stares at the images intensely)   
Iris: Barry, are you listening? (Barry turns and sees Iris, she is wearing a fancy dress.)  
Barry: Iris… you… look really nice.  
Iris: And you have said that three times already.   
Barry: Sorry about that and sorry for asking again, but…  
Iris: *sigh* It’s for the press conference at…  
Barry: …at city hall. Third time, right?  
Iris: Yeah.  
(Joe walks in)  
Joe: Barry, did you get the… (He looks up and sees the board) What is this?  
Barry: Joe, listen…  
Joe: Is this what you’ve been using your time doing?  
Barry: Joe…  
Joe: It’s a simple question, answer it.  
Barry: …Yes…  
Joe: We… had talked about this, I thought we were done, I thought you were done. (Barry looks down at his feet). I told you to quit this… this lightning man thing.  
Barry: He’s still out there.  
Joe: No he’s not. He’s never been out there. There is no lightning man, your father killed your mother and you know it.  
Iris: Dad!  
Joe: Iris, leave now! (She leaves)  
Barry: My father had nothing to do with it, but you put him away anyway!  
Joe: I put him away because he’s a murderer! I accepted the fact that you refuse to acknowledge and now you’re wasting everyone’s time, the police’s time, chasing something that doesn’t exist! I have done so much for you Barry, I raised you and offered you this job without expecting a thank you, but if this is how you plan to repay me for all that then I want you to pack your things and get out!  
(Silence. Barry looks at Joe for only a moment, then silently leaves. As soon as Barry is out of the room, Joe lets a few tears run down his cheeks.)

-City Hall- Hours later  
Congressman: I wasn’t told that Detective West had such a beautiful daughter.  
Iris: Sure you weren’t. Now, is there a chance we can get back to this interview?  
Congressman: Of course… what were we talking about again?  
Iris: Your plan for the city…  
Congressman: Oh, yes, of course. You see, cities like this, like Coast City, Keystone, they need heroes, not like that Superman or the Justice Society or whatever they’re called. It needs heroes with faces.  
Iris: And you believe yourself to be one of these heroes.  
Congressman: Who would you most likely trust? Me or that nut from Gotham?  
(A shot is fired into the air, everyone turns. It’s Snart.)  
Snart: Now, if you’ll all remain calm, I’ll be able to explain this as quickly as possible. (Congressman tries to run, Snart blasts his leg. The congressman falls, screaming) If you think that hurts, just wait until it thaws out. Now, unless the rest of you want to know exactly how this feels, you’ll do exactly as I say. (There is mumbling) Quiet! (Fires shot into the air. He walks toward the crowd, putting his gun at numerous people.) Now all I need is a volunteer. (He stops at Iris.) You… I’ve seen you before. Your dad’s a cop, isn’t he? (Iris is silent.) Now, does anyone have a camera?

 

-City Sidewalk-  
(Barry walks down the street, feeling lost. As he walks past a store with televisions in the display window, the signals on the tv’s get cut and Snart appears on the screen)  
Snart: Can you hear me? (His voice echoes throughout the streets) Citizens of Central City, my name is Lenard Snart, but not to waste your time with introductions, I’ll get right to the point. Throughout Central City are nineteen cryogenic bombs with a blast radius of three miles. Enough to cover about three quarters of Central City in ice. They will go off once their timer’s reach their end. (Panic is heard throughout the street) Now, there is a way out. You see, for the past few weeks, a red blur has been running around this city. Running faster than cars and all that, well, I want him. Now, you can choose not to believe that he doesn’t exist, but that won’t stop the bombs, will it? I know you’re out there… “Flash”… I’ll be waiting for you at City Hall. As of now, you have… one hour. See you soon. (signal cuts, the streets are set into a panic).

-Police Station-  
Joe: I want men at City Hall ASAP!  
Officer 1: On it.  
Joe: We’re going to set up a perimeter, keep him in.

-Palmer’s lab-  
(Palmer appears to nervously packing his things. Barry runs in, sending papers flying around.)  
Palmer: Barry!  
Barry: I need your help. I need your help to stop Snart.  
Palmer: Stop Snart? Isn’t this the guy with the freeze gun? (Barry goes to grab suit) The one who put you in an emotional slump for two days?  
Barry: (suit already on) Yep, that’s the one.  
Palmer: You can’t actually be serious about this.  
Barry: Ray, I have never been more serious.  
Palmer: You can’t. It’s too dangerous, even if Snart didn’t have a freeze ray, we still don’t know the full extent of what you can do.  
Barry: Maybe we don’t know, but what I do know is that if we don’t do anything, a lot of people are going to die. Now, will you help me?  
Palmer: …Okay what do you need?  
Barry: A hood.  
Palmer: A hood?  
Barry: More like a mask. Something to cover my face, vibrating it didn’t work so well last time.  
Palmer: You can do that?  
Barry: Oh yeah, but it’s too difficult to keep using. I need a more permanent solution.  
Palmer: Anything else?  
Barry: Gloves. Can’t leave any fingerprints either.  
Palmer: That all?  
Barry: That is all.

-City Hall-  
(Searchlights scan the building. Helicopters circle the building.)  
Officer in copter 1: We have a hostage situation. I repeat, we have a hostage situation   
Joe: We’re on our way up and we should get to him momentarily. Keep a lookout for him in the meantime, make sure he’s still on the building. (The searchlights scan around more.)  
(Snart paces on the rooftop, he checks his watch)  
Snart: Half hour left. Maybe he just needs some… motivation. (He walks out from the shadows, he’s spotted.)  
Pilot 1: We got him.  
(Snart fires his cold gun at the copter blades causing them to freeze and break, causing the copter to spiral out of control. The copter crashes into a nearby building, no explosion.)  
Pilot 2: Be advised, target is armed and extremely dangerous. (Snart blasts another copter out of the sky. It crashes on the ground, no explosion. Snart aims his gun at the last copter and fires. The blades freeze and the copter spirals out of control. A streak runs through the city as the copter starts to come down. A red blur runs up a nearby building and leaps through the copter, grabbing the pilots inside. They land on the roof of the building. The Blur takes shape in front of the pilots. It is The Flash. His suit lacks the logo and any lightning.)  
Flash: Snart!  
Snart: So, you finally show yourself. Costume looks nice, but I feel it’s lacking something.  
Flash: Like your face on my fist. (He runs toward Snart, ready to punch)  
Snart: Wait! (Fist stops right infront of Snart’s face.)  
Flash: Make it quick.  
Snart: Don’t tell me you forgot about the bombs set throughout the city. Let me be clear, it you so much as touch me, the bombs go off. (He tosses a piece of paper to Flash) That is the list of addresses where the bombs are located. However, before you heroically run off, there’s one more thing you should know, if you defuse or move any of the bombs, they’ll set off a radio signal and all the others will go off.  
Flash: Then how am I supposed to get rid of them?!  
Snart: That’s up for you to decide. (He pulls out a trigger and presses it) You have three minutes.  
(Flash runs off. Joe appears behind Snart)  
Joe: Snart! (Snart turns and fires his cold gun, freezing Joe’s pistol, which he drops to the ground. Snart then fires his gun, shattering the floor around the rest of the squad, sending them falling to the floor below. Snart aims his gun back at Joe)  
Snart: Now, let’s not do anything stupid. Nothing that would set a bad example. Your daughter is watching after all. (He steps aside to show Iris tied up in the corner.)  
Joe: Iris! (Snart smiles) Let her go.  
Snart: I could do that. (Points gun at Iris) I could not.  
Joe: No wait!  
Snart: Something you’d like to say?  
Joe: You don’t have to… what do you want?  
Snart: Ah, now we’re getting somewhere.  
-Streets-  
Flash: (Through earpiece) Ray!  
Palmer: Barry, what happened?  
Flash: Snart gave me the locations of the bombs and now I’ve got three minutes to defuse them!  
Palmer: Well then defuse them!  
Flash: It’s not that simple. Snart said that if I try defusing them or moving them around they’ll send a signal and the others will go off!  
Palmer: Well, they’ll go off anyway so we need to think of something fast!  
Flash: I’m thinking! I’m thinking! Wait!  
Palmer: What is it?  
Flash: What if I tried outrunning the signal? (makes it to first bomb) Defuse the bombs before any of the signals reach them?  
Palmer: You realize how fast that is?   
Flash: How fast would I have to go?  
Palmer: I don’t think you can run that fast.  
Flash: How fast?!  
Palmer: You’d have to run faster than 300,000 km a second.  
Flash: Alright!  
Palmer: Listen Barry, we don’t know how fast you can go, if you are able to get to that speed, there might not be any room for error. I won’t be able to help you whatsoever. One mistake and a lot of people are going to die. You get that, right?  
Flash: Yeah… I do. Wish me luck.  
Palmer: Good luck.  
(Flash grabs a clipper to defuse the bomb. A bead of sweat runs down his face and drops off. It slows down until it stops in midair. Everything around Flash freezes in time. Flash cuts the chord in a moment and is gone the next. Flash runs in a jagged pattern through the frozen city, engulfed in lightning. He runs past another bomb, defusing it in the process. Another. Determination is in Flash’s eyes. He runs past another, defusing it. He runs through the city. Faster, faster. Several more bombs are defused. He runs around the city some more.)  
Flash: Nineteen. Where’s number nineteen?! (He runs through the city even more.) Wait a minute. (He runs out of the city. A large number of cars are gathered on the road leaving the city. The Flash races ahead of them. A lone bomb sits in front of the cars. The Flash grabs it and brings it away from the cars. The lightning on the flash starts to flicker. The Flash collapses as the bomb rolls out of his hands.) Oh no, didn’t… stupid… metabolism…  
Palmer: (Slo-mo) Baaaarrrrrryyy? (The bomb starts to beep. The Flash turns to run. His lightning is flickering as he trips over himself trying to run. Time begins to return to normal.) Barry?!

-City Hall-  
Snart: (looks up and sees a single explosion in the distance) Well, that’s disappointing. Time to go Ms. Detective. (Points gun at Iris and motions for her to get into a helicopter.)  
Joe: Why do you still need her?! Why not take me?!  
Snart: Thought you were in this job long enough to know. The life of a cop’s child makes a great bargaining chip. Copter now. (Iris slowly walks into the copter. Snart fires at the ground around Joe.) Now, sit like a good little cop. (Snart looks behind him before entering.) Oh! And thanks for the copter!  
Joe: IRIS!!!  
-Bomb explosion site-  
(The whole area is covered in ice and frost.)  
Palmer (over earpiece): Barry?! Barry, are you okay?!  
(panel of the frost covered ground. A red gloved hand hits the ground. The Flash rolls himself out of the snow filled crater onto his frost covered back.)  
Flash: Not really the word I would use to describe it, but… sure.  
Palmer: You need to get back to the city.  
Flash: Really… don’t think… I got the strength… to… think… I might just… take a nap…  
Palmer: Your metabolism probably burned through all the energy your body had. You got any those energy bars I cooked up for you?  
Flash: Got… a few…  
(Snart begins to start the copter up. The flash shoves a few bars into his mouth as he begins to stand. As he swallows the energy bars, his eyes open. Lightning in his eyes, he runs toward the city in a large bolt of lightning. The rotors on the copter begin to spin. Flash runs throughout the city to City Hall, still shoving more energy bars into his mouth. The copter is leaving the ground. The Flash runs up the side of the building. Everything goes into slow motion. The Flash licks the last of the energy bars from his fingers as he blasts on forward. The Copter is in the air. The Flash propels itself off the building and into the copter. Flash grabs Iris and smashes the controls on the copter. As time returns to normal, Joe and the Flash land on the roof of the building as the copter comes down.)  
(Flash is panting heavily, Iris gets up)  
Iris: So… you’re the one Snart was talking about?  
Flash: Yeah, that’s me.  
Joe: Iris! (Joe runs over to where they are and gives Iris a hug) So glad you’re okay, baby! (Flash gets a small smile on his face. they stop hugging and Joe takes a good look at Flash) Who the hell are you supposed to be? Superman?  
Flash: Well, I guess you can call me (Puts hands at waist and poses.) The Flash!  
Joe: You planning on sticking with that?  
Flash: Sort of, it kind of has a nice ring to it actually.  
Joe: A lot of people could take that name the wrong way.  
Flash: It grows on you. Plus, it probably couldn’t be taken as badly as “The Streak.”  
Joe: Well, you’re right about that.  
(Snart appears out of the wreckage and fires his gun. Flash moves Joe and Iris out of the way. Snart fires his gun several more times.)  
Snart: How did you-  
Flash: (dodging the blasts) “How did I” What? How did I know that the last bomb was just outside the city? Just waiting on the road to greet the several people are struggling to leave? Truth told, I completely guessed. Now tell me, “Captain Cold…” (Appears infront of Snart) how many more times are we going to do this?  
Snart: Until the best man wins! (Snart blasts at the floor below them, which leaks several floors below. The two fall through the ground and smash through the frozen floors below them. The two hit solid ground. Snart is the first to get up.)  
Snart: Well then, (aims gun at the flash who slowly gets up) I guess this is the last time, then. (he pulls the trigger, nothing happens. The gun then sputters and fizzles out. Snart looks down at the gun, then back at the Flash, who begins to smile.) What… What did you do?!  
Flash: (On his feet) I rewired it while we were falling. (Snart looks at him in shock.) No biggie. (Flash punches Snart in the face, knocking him out. Joe makes it down to where the two are)  
Joe: Well, looks like you have him under control.  
Flash: (Bent over, panting) Not as easy as it looked.  
Joe: Now, who are you?  
Flash: Is “The Flash” really not working for-  
Joe: Who are you really?  
Flash: (Stands up straight) Someone you can count on to help.  
Joe: That doesn’t really answer my-  
Flash: I know… (races off.)

-View of the city (daytime)-  
Iris: (voice) Over the last few days, Central City has had numerous reports of a red blur running throughout the city. A red blur pulling people from fires, stopping muggings, even to helping old ladies across the street.

-Palmer’s Lab-  
Palmer: Heard you’ve been busy. Saving the day and such.   
Barry: You could say that… I still need to find the man who killed my mother… not sure when I’ll find him… but until then…  
Palmer: What?  
Barry: I used to see these powers as something else, but now I look at them differently. What I did, what I can do… it gave this city hope. When I saved Iris and watched her hug her dad, I… I saw what I lost… and I’m not going to stand by with these powers and just let someone lose it too… I’m going to find the man who killed my mom… and I’m going to keep this city safe…  
Palmer: And I’ll be with you… (walks toward the suit display.) Did you do something to the suit?  
Barry: I made it less boring. (he runs by and grabs the suit. He runs out into the city).  
Iris (voice): (The Flash is running through the city as Iris’s voice is all that’s heard. His suit now resembles the suit we all know and love. Symbol and all) The world has become a different place in the past years. The world we live in now is a dangerous one, a confusing and scary one, but now, it’s become one step closer to becoming a safer one. Because he’s out there, saving lives and keeping us safe. The man in the mask, the fastest man alive… The Flash…

 

Thanks to all that read and enjoyed this...  
First I want to thank my mom, then I want to thank my Dawg, Skyy (she's a lab) for constantly running into walls while I was writing this. I'd like to thank my girlfriend for putting up with this unhealthy obsession of mine and once again, I'd like to thank all of you!

 

-Prison/ Snart’s Cell-  
(Snart is sitting in his cell, silent. Suddenly, the alarm sounds. He looks up and stands. Suddenly he is surrounded by red lightning. The next thing he knows, he’s outside, far away from the prison.)  
Voice: Your part in this is not yet over…  
(The red lightning streaks by Snart, leaving a slip of paper in his hands. It’s a list of names. He looks up and sees the red lightning coming towards him. It stops. Before him stands the man in the yellow suit: Zoom)  
Zoom: It’s time to recruit. It’s time to shape the future…


End file.
